WASSERMAN has added Lyndon Arthur to his stable and brings back the Manchester light heavyweight from the first loss of his career in Bolton on Saturday night. He meets Argentine veteran Walter Gabriel Sequeira (25-9-1) in 10 rounds at the University of Bolton Stadium in a show broadcast on Channel Five.
Arthur switched promoters from Queensberry after Anthony Yarde (21-2) beat him in four rounds in their rematch last December. Twelve months earlier, Arthur had defied pre-fight odds of 9/2 to outpoint Yarde in a split decision and move closer to a shot at a sanctioning body title.
Arthur said before the rematch, “I don’t think I should have this fight again.” Having beaten Yarde, he felt that he should be in charge.
But there was a rematch clause in the contract and Yarde was never going to wait for Arthur to challenge high honors before enforcing it, as the Mancunian wished.
Arthur wouldn’t be the first fighter to become disillusioned with the boxing business, but the switch to Wasserman and a mainline fight on terrestrial television appears to have refreshed the 31-year-old, who is trained by his cousin Pat Barrett, the former Briton and champion. from Europe superlight.
Hardcore fans may remember Sequeira sharing a ring with Yarde. That was in Brentwood in October 2018 and Sequeira was defeated in four rounds.
At just 5 feet 8 inches tall, Sequeira was too small to bother Yarde, she dropped three times and stopped. Arthur will also tower over him. He is 6 feet 2 inches tall and is rumored to weigh 175 pounds.
Sequeira has boxed nine times since the Yarde fight, winning four, losing four and drawing the other. Of those four losses, three have come inside the distance. Arthur can break, he’s a good finisher when he’s in the mood, and Sequeira is now 35 years old.
This could end early. Arthur has nine wins from two rounds, Sequeira has 10 wins from three.
Sequeira won Argentine titles and entered his fight with Avni Yildirim in February 2016, ranked in the top 15 by one of the sanctioning bodies.
He lost that fight 117-111 on all three cards, but he didn’t take many steps back, he was competitive. Yildirim was subsequently stopped by Chris Eubank Jr., Anthony Dirrell and Saul “Canelo'” Alvarez, and was outpointed by Jack Cullen.
Arthur has said he wants a knockout, and don’t be surprised if he gets one. He proved to be a ruthless finisher on his way up to the championship class and if Sequeira puts up a fight with him, as he surely will, he is likely to be in trouble.
Arthur can win halfway.
The clash between Gavin Gwynne and Craig Woodruff for the former’s British and Commonwealth lightweight titles is sure to be much more competitive.
The Welsh have clashed with each other and it promises to be a highly visible fight. The 32-year-old champion from Merthyr Tydfil is a front foot fighter, while Newport’s Woodruff likes to stand and box.
They both have Rocky stories.
Gwynne won major honors at the third attempt. He was competitive in losses to Joe Cordina (9-0) and James Tennyson (26-3) and did not expect to beat Belfast’s Sean McComb (11-0) for the vacant Commonwealth title last February. But in the last minute of the seventh, McComb was badly bloodied and couldn’t take it anymore. Gwynne had hurt him with body shots and broken his heart.
That’s Gwynne’s way. He says that on a trip to California he was nicknamed “The Mexican Merthyr” and his fitness level has improved in the last 18 months since he quit his job as a carpenter. Gwynne added to the vacant British title with a points win over Liverpool’s Luke Willis (11-0) in April.
Woodruff has lost to the big boys in his career 12-6 thus far. He was out for more than four years after three straight losses, to quality operators Mitch Buckland (5-0), Matin J Ward (7-0) and Luke Campbell (5-0).
He has won seven of nine since returning, both losses coming at 140 pounds.
Last time out, Woodruff, now 30, outscored Dundee southpaw Ronnie Clark (21-7-2) in 10, but we don’t think he can keep Gwynne away from him and go for the champion win. for late arrest.
